Just a Delinquent: Dancing All Night!
by LeafyDream
Summary: The silver-tongued hero with a heart of gold, and all of his friends, are back! Rise and Kanji have been dating for several months now, and things have been going well. She's even invited all of her friends to come dance with her on stage for her next concert, but is Rise's idol life becoming too much for Kanji? And what happens when several idols go missing...?
1. Quartet

This story is a sequel to Just a Delinquent. While reading that isn't necessary, it'll probably help.

**Quartet**

There were many truths to this world, but one truth that forever confused historians and scholars alike was why Rise Kujikawa fell in love with Kanji Tatsumi.

Even Kanji himself was confused by the idea, though he certainly wasn't against it. He rather liked Rise, in fact, he loved the idol, bratty nature and all. Somehow over the course of knowing each other, and solving the murders of Inaba, the two had grown from barely friends to lovers, and he couldn't have been happier.

"Alright, what do you think?" Rise asked, opening the door and stepping out of the changing room. Kanji turned his head to look at his girlfriend, and almost immediately he was left with his jaw on the ground and face red.

Rise wore the outfit well. A white sundress that hugged her body, accenting her natural curves. Her long, brunette hair was worn down, flowing down her back. There was a small split on the top of the dress, revealing some skin and even a peek at her supple cleavage. Kanji closed his mouth and smiled at his girlfriend. Somehow, she had only got prettier with time, while Kanji was still the same mountain-esque, blond with spiky hair.

"Y-you look great!"

"Thanks!" Rise beamed, twirling on the spot as she smiled. "Can you lift up the skirt a bit? I'm worried about tripping on it if I wore it on stage."

"Sure, no problem."

After putting a stop to Izanami's schemes, Rise returned to being an idol, and Kanji was close behind her, acting as her supposed tailor. It wasn't a total lie. Kanji often found himself assisting in her wardrobe, and working out any changes her outfits needed.

It also gave him a good excuse to just hang out with her. The life of an idol was a chaotic one, with a lot of last minute schedule changes, but Rise would insist she needed her personal tailor around. Her manager, Inoue-san, seemed to agree most of the time.

Maybe it was cause they saved money, seeing as Kanji was both Rise's tailor and personal bodyguard.

Rise quickly changed into her usual outfit, and brought the outfit to the cashier, Kanji by her side. She paid for it and the two stepped out, walking down the sidewalk, side by side. As they walked the blond's hand brushed against Rise's. He tried to link their hands when Rise stepped away, taking a whole sidestep away from him.

Kanji blinked, looking at her face in confusion as she gave him an apologetic look. "Kanji," she whispered, glancing up and down the street, as if she was afraid of being followed. "You know we can't."

"Oh. Sorry."

There was just one problem with their relationship. An obvious problem that Kanji knew about before he started dating Rise, one that he accepted, but… he just didn't think would have lasted this long.

Idols weren't allowed to date anyone. Rise wasn't allowed to actually call or treat Kanji as her boyfriend. As far as the public knew, he was her friendly tailor/bodyguard, always by her side.

That meant no kissing in public, no hand holding, nothing that would make it seem like they were anything more than just had been like this for months, with only a few people in all of Japan knowing their secret.

Their closest friends, family, and Rise's manager, Inoue. The manager seemed reluctant at first, before he was quick to tell the two that having a boyfriend could be an interesting angle for an idol, and that once Rise's popularity was back up, they could reveal it to the rest of the world.

That was almost a year ago, and Kanji was wondering if Inoue just said that to get Rise back into the idol business.

"Kanji? Hello, earth to Kanji?" Rise snapped her fingers in front of Kanji's face several times, rousing the boy from his thoughts.

"Huh? What?"

"You okay? You spaced out on me," Rise commented, raising her brow in confusion.

"Y-yeah. I'm alright. Sorry. What were you saying?"

"I was saying, are you ready to head to the set? I need to finish filming the commercial before we head back to the hotel."

"Right, right." Kanji nodded his head. He remembered. Life never stood still for an idol. They had to get Rise back to work before they were able to get any rest. Not to mention they had to practice for the upcoming concert…

Yes, they. Somehow Rise had actually managed to convince her agency to let her invite the rest of the Investigation Team to become her backup dancers for the upcoming concert.

The LMB Festival, or Love Meets Bonds Festival. A concert where Kanji was going to dance alongside his girlfriend, and his closest friends for the amusement of millions. It should have just been fun and easy stuff, but honestly?

Kanji would rather take on a pack of Shadows again.

Least Yu and Naoto were along for the ride. The rest of the team would be arriving in a couple of days to join them so they could all practice together again, but Yu and Naoto were already in Tokyo (Yu for school, Naoto for a case) when Rise dropped the news on the group, so it was easy for the other couple to meet up with Kanji and Rise.

Actually, the more Kanji thought about it, maybe it wasn't so great having the two around. For one, they could be as affectionate as they wanted, something he and Rise could not do. They had to be careful about how close they were, while Yu and Naoto shared kisses and hugs like it was nobody's business.

Secondly, Yu and Naoto were just better dancers than him. They could copy Rise's moves better than he could. Kanji just wasn't as graceful as the other three. He was bigger, bulkier, some would even say brutish. While they danced with skill and grace, he barely got by without tripping on his own two feet…

"Kanji? You okay? You're being offly quiet…"

"Huh? Oh, yeah… I'm alright." He lied through his teeth as he followed Rise, walking behind her.

* * *

Kanji was most certainly not alright. He was upset, and the fact he refused to talk about it bothered Rise to no end.

The two were back in Rise's hotel room, and their time was limited. The rest of the staff thought of Kanji as little more than a skilled tailor, but even so, allowing a boy his age to be alone with Risette in her room for any amount of time was a miracle. Someone would by soon to check on them, and probably tell Kanji to go to his own room.

Rise would have to work fast.

"What cha doing?" she asked, sitting on the sofa beside her boyfriend, smiling at him. She glanced at the cloth in his hand, watching him quietly sewing it into another piece of cloth.

"Working on a commission. Got a list of them back in Inaba," Kanji explained, not even glancing at her.

_Is he mad at me? _She wondered, before she touched his hand. "It looks nice."

"Thanks."

Her fingers gently stroke his as he finally turned his blue eyes to look at her. He raised his brow as she smiled at him. "But maybe you want to focus on something else? We only have so much time to be alone, you know."

Kanji opened his mouth, before closing it. He glanced away from her as he nodded his head. "Y-yeah, I know." These moments, out of sight from both her crew and the public, they could be true to themselves.

"So let's make good use of the time," she grinned, leaning forward to kiss him. She got a peck on his cheek, before he pulled back and spoke up.

"Rise, how much longer do we have to pretend?"

"Huh?" Rise sounded confused, but she really shouldn't have. She kicked herself mentally, knowing what was bothering Kanji. The same thing that was bothering her.

"When was the last time we held hands, or even just had dinner by ourselves? I feel like we get like five minutes to be a couple out of the whole day," he sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"I-I know, Kanji. I've talked to Inoue-san, but he just said it isn't time to drop the news on everyone. After LMB-"

"Yeah, he said the same thing before the last concert! And the one before that! Does he even want us to be together?" he grumbled, glaring at the wall.

"Of course, he does. He said so," she sighed, shoulders falling.

"Sure doesn't act like it…"

"Kanji, I…" Rise sighed again, shaking her head slowly. She hated this. She hated how upset Kanji was, how useless Inoue was, how… how much she was hurting their relationship.

It was her lifestyle, her occupation, her choice that was causing all of this pain. She wanted to be an idol, she wanted to be a singer, someone for the people to look up to. Children idolized her, all while Kanji and her became more distant.

"I never wanted to hurt you," she admitted, reaching for his hand. The two squeezed each other's hands, holding one another as their eyes met. "I love you, Kanji."

"I love you too, Rise," he replied, and that eased her heart, if only a bit. Just hearing him say those words was enough to make her smile. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm just getting frustrated."

"Totally understandable!" She lunged forward, hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry." Rise's mood suddenly lit up as an idea popped into her head. "What if I ask for a vacation? Just a small one? A weekend to ourselves? Maybe we can ask Naoto to let us hide out at her estate for a little bit so we can have some time to ourselves?"

"Really?" Kanji blinked, before he grinned. "That does sound pretty nice… Maybe we could even hang out with the others again."

Rise nodded her head, beaming. It felt like a long time since the entire group had been together. Part of the reason she invited them all to LMB was so that they could be together again, and have another adventure. It wasn't saving the world, but she liked to think it was pretty exciting.

"It's a promise then! And until then…" Rise's smile turned mischievous as she leaned forward, pressing her lips against his. Kanji moaned in surprise, before he melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around her small body.

Their lips nibbled one another's, before Rise opened her mouth and licked Kanji's lips. He opened his mouth to return the passion, when someone knocked on their door.

"Everything okay there, Rise? Is Tatsumi still in there?" a crew member asked.

Rise and Kanji pulled apart, their breasts shallow and panting as they stared at one another. Their faces were red as the brunette gave her boyfriend an apologetic look. He just nodded his head, understanding with a melancholic smile on his face.

"Yeah, I'm okay! Kanji was just leaving…"

* * *

Meanwhile, in another hotel, Yu was looking through his clothes as his girlfriend typed on her laptop. The silver-haired man looked mostly the same since his adventure in Inaba, but the same could not be said for Naoto. Of all of the Investigation Team, her style had changed the most.

Gone was the sarashi that bound her chest, gone was trying to hide her identity. Naoto was a woman, and she embraced it proudly. While her clothing style was still masculine, her hair had grown long, flowing down her back as she wore one of Yu's shirts over her body. Her figure filled out the shirt and simple shorts well as Yu held up two outfits.

"Hm. What do you think? Black coat with white shirt, or white coat with black stripe?" Yu wondered aloud.

The redeemed, ex-liar glanced at the two outfits in each hand, but his question was left unanswered. He lifted up his brow as he looked at Naoto, who was quietly typing away at her laptop, focused only on the screen.

"Naoto, you hungry?" No answer. "Oh no. I got shot again." Still no response. "Naoto, I love you."

The detective blinked, before looking up at Yu with a faint blush. "Oh, um… I-I love you too, Narukami."

"Well, least you heard that." Yu smiled as he tossed the outfits aside, before he walked over to his girlfriend and sat on the bed with her. "Looking at case files?"

"One in particular. It's from Mitsuru-san." That did catch Yu's attention.

He and his girlfriend met Mitsuru Kirijo a few months ago during a rather exhausting ordeal involving Shadows and world-ending monsters. Long story short, Yu Narukami and Naoto Shirogane saved the world (again), with a little help from their friends, a group of older Persona users called the Shadow Operatives, and Adachi.

The leader of the Shadow Operatives, Mitsuru Kirijo, a gorgeous redhead and imposing leader, commented on how skilled Yu and Naoto were in the heat of battle against Shadows. She kept in relatively close contact with the two, even sending them interesting cases to test them.

Yu found the cases to be a fun challenge for himself and his girlfriend, but it was clear that something about this particular case really piqued Naoto's interest.

"So, what's up? Anything major?"

"Possibly, but it doesn't look immediate. It seems to be several cases akin to the Apathy Syndrome she mentioned to us before. People falling asleep and not waking up, trapped in some kind of coma-like state. The problem is that's all it seems to be. No Dark Hour, no fatalities, no strange Shadow activity… Mitsuru-san says she will fill us in as soon as she has more information, but this is a rather odd case."

"Anything connecting the victims?"

"Rumors of a bizarre video that only appears at midnight…" Yu's silver eyes widened in surprise as she nodded her head. "I thought the same thing. It's similar to our prior experiences back in Inaba…"

The murders of Inaba, the events that tied the fates of Yu and his friends together. The ones that set Yu on his journey of self-discovery and redemption. The same ones that involved a certain Midnight Channel.

"Well, should we look into it?"

"I would like to, but unfortunately it seems Mitsuru-san disagrees. She's requested that we don't act on any information, unless it is an emergency. She doesn't want to risk us also falling victim to the bizarre epidemic."

"Hm, I see. So there's nothing we can do right now?"

"It would appear not…"

"Any other pressing cases?" Naoto shook her head. "Then need I remind you, you promised Rise you wouldn't work this weekend unless something big came up?" Yu held up his hand and playfully ruffled his girlfriend's hair, smiling at at her.

Naoto blushed at the affectionate gesture, batting his hand away. "No, you don't. I just can't help but feel curious."

"Well, once we have time, you and I can investigate it and we'll no doubt save the world. Again. Until then, it's getting late." Yu tapped on the power button on Naoto's laptop, and she lifted it off of the bed and onto the floor. "We should get some sleep."

Despite his words, he had a hand on her leg, gently stroking her slender, naked thigh as he gave her the classic, Narukami smirk.

"Something tells me sleep is the last thing on your mind," Naoto commented, her cheeks slowly tinting a crimson hue.

"If you're not feeling it, I understand, but-" Yu was silenced as his blue-haired lover grabbed his collar and pulled him into a kiss. His silver eyes widened, before he wrapped his arms around her, kissing back.

They pulled apart for a moment, Naoto's face a bright shade of red as she glanced away from him. "I didn't say that…"

Yu chuckled, nuzzling his nose against Naoto's as their hearts beat as one. The two were in love, the purest, strongest kind of love, the kind where each other's nature rubbed off on the other. On the one hand, this gave the once cruel man a sense of justice, and a growing skill at deduction, but it also gave Naoto quite the… mischievous side.

The two laughed as they kissed one another, hands squeezing and pulling the other close. Silver eyes met cobalt ones as they both uttered the same words, smiling at one another as their hearts glowed with a warm radiance.

"I love you."

**END**

What's this? A sequel to Just a Delinquent? Well... Yeah, I guess it is. In the same way Persona 4: Dancing All Night is a sequel to Persona 4. More of a silly spin off, than a direct sequel.

Special thanks to **AvengedGYT** for the idea. This one's for you, kid!

So, this story. It'll be a silly story, with some dramatic bits. God, I wish Fanfiction let me have three genres. Most of my work is Humor, Drama, and Romance based! Why do I have to pick two?! Ugh. It also gives me a chance to hand out some advice to anyone writing adaptations. First off, don't be afraid to switch things up! Like how I do!

When I was planning this story out, an idea came to me. Instead of Yu and Naoto being the leads, what if Rise and Kanji were? Yu and Naoto will still play a big part, but just like how Just a Delinquent focused on Yu and Naoto, with Rise and Kanji being a Beta Couple, this story focuses on Rise and Kanji, with Yu and Naoto as the more stable, happier Beta Couple.

So, yeah. Kanji and Rise are our leads, with Naoto and Yu being their close friends and confidants. Exciting! Also, all the chapters will be related to music stuff. Quartet, get it? Four? HA.

Before I end this note, 2 things. One: I don't have a set update schedule to this story. I'll just update it whenever I have time, so don't expect orderly updates. It's a fun side project, and a special idea inspired by a friend, nothing more. Secondly, here's a question. What's a better idea? Using Persona 4 music for the dances in this story, or doing the more fun option and just picking songs I like?

I kind of like the idea of picking fun songs, instead of just using the game's soundtrack. More chances for silliness and fun. Let me know what you think, and what you think of the story! Have a good day, stay safe, and remember, you are loved!

Bye!


	2. Opening Act

**Opening Act**

Yu Narukami stood in a large, empty dance room with his girlfriend, Naoto Shirogane. The two waited for their mutual friends to arrive, but there was no sign of either of them, something that the famed detective commented upon.

"They should have been here by now. I wonder what's keeping them?"

"Probably in Rise's room making out or something," Yu replied, which earned a surprised look from his girlfriend. He just smiled in return and shrugged. "Maybe we should follow their example." He gave her one of his arrogant smirks, but she simply rolled her eyes, her cheeks a faint shade of red.

"You're incorrigible."

"And you're beautiful." Naoto's blush became worse as she turned away.

Their friends accused the two of 'flirting' when they spoke to each other like this, and as much as Naoto wanted to deny such a claim, she had to admit seeing her boyfriend smile at her like that was… nice.

She had learn to appreciate his lecherous nature, after it had been curbed by compassion and wisdom. As wrong as it was to admit, she liked knowing her boyfriend thought of her as beautiful. It was only because of his support that she was open to wearing more feminine clothes, and to forgo wearing a sarashi.

Yu was supportive every step of the way, never pushing her too far, always patient with her, always willing to listen. She smiled at him when he looked away, and she thought about how lucky she was.

If someone had told her, years ago, that Naoto would appreciate a man's eyes on her body, or ever find herself hopelessly infatuated with the same man, well... crazy wouldn't be the only word she'd use to describe them.

Suddenly the door opened and Rise ran into the large dance room with Kanji right behind her. The two were panting as the idol apologized profusely.

"We are so sorry! That last meeting just wouldn't end!"

"Y-yeah! We're sorry, guys," Kanji added, gasping for air.

"It's no problem," Yu replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Naoto nodded in agreement, though she couldn't help but notice something. Her eyes widened as she noticed several marks on Kanji's neck. They were mostly covered by the collar of his shirt, but Naoto was a detective for a reason. She picked up on the little detail, and how the marks shared the same color as Rise's lipstick.

The detective blushed as Yu noticed something caught Naoto's attention. He followed her eyes, before smiling mischievously. He chuckled to himself as he and Naoto shared a look. She blushed as the silver-haired man smirked.

"Something funny, Senpai?" Kanji asked.

"No, no. a bit of an inside joke between Naoto and I."

As Rise and Kanji stared with confused expressions, the door to the dance room opened and an older man in a suit and glasses, with short brown hair, popped his head inside. "Oh, good, you're all here." The man was Minoru Inoue, Rise's manager, and he stepped inside with a friendly smile.

"Inoue-san? What's up?" Rise blinked, before gasping as four girls walked into the large room. Rise dashed forward to greet them, smiling widely as she spoke to the group. Kanji, Naoto, and Yu watched from behind their friend as Inoue approached them.

"Yu, Kanji, Naoto, could you spare a moment? There are some people I want to properly introduce you to. They're another group with Takura Productions, and part of the next generation of idols."

The silverette looked away from Inoue and turned his gaze to the four girls, examining each of them. They did seem familiar, but more importantly, they were all cute and beautiful. They were idols, after all, and redeemed or not, Yu couldn't help but notice how attractive each of them were.

One girl was much shorter than the others, with a petite body. She reminded Yu of an older Nanako. She had a sparkle in her eyes as she smiled at the group. Her short, brunette hair was tied in a ponytail as she practically bounced in place, her frilly, pink dress bouncing with her.

"Hi, I'm Sumomo Ujima!"

In stark contrast to Sumomo, the next girl was a very adult, very voluptuous woman. She shared several traits with Naoto. Blue hair, blue clothes, large breasts, though she was much taller and with a much more feminine style to her. She had long, blue hair going down her back as she smiled with plump, shimmering lips.

"Hello, my name is Tomoe Sayama. It's nice to meet you."

The third girl was rather boyish compared to her friends, and she stood tall, almost reaching Kanji's height. She had much shorter, dark brown hair and an air of confidence and elegance, like something akin to a fairy tale prince. Her dark clothes seemed to accent her figure and enigmatic aura as she politely greeted the group, bowing her head.

"Nozomi Nakahara. It is an honor to meet you."

The last girl stepped forward, and approached Yu without any hesitation. The silverette lifted his brow as the beautiful woman stared him down, looking him over. She had light, brunette hair in a pair of small pigtails. She was dressed in all white, and wore a small scowl on her face.

"Hm. So this guy's Yu-san?" she finally asked, raising her brow and crossing her arms. Her intense stare perplexed the others, but Yu did his best to play it off. "Rise's talked a lot about you…"

"All good things, I hope. You must be…" Yu closed his eyes for a moment, going through his memories. He knew he had seen a commercial with this girl's group before. What was her name…? "Tamami Uesugi, right? It's a pleasure to meet you." And he flashed his perfect, white teeth as he gave her a classic Yu Narukami smirk.

The effect was clear. She was blushing in an instant, clearly taken back by Yu's handsome features and natural charisma. "Whoa… Listen to this guy," she muttered, stepping back, before immediately stepping forward again to poke the silverette's chest.

Yu could only be described as amused as he listened to Tamami talk. "You're a little too composed, you know that? You seem way too cool, and I don't like it one bit!"

"Oh, boy. There she goes again," Rise sighed. "I'm sorry, Senpai, she kind of has a habit of picking fights…"

The silver-eyed teen just smiled as Tamami pointed at him in a dramatic fashion. "Just you wait, Yu-san! The next time I see you, I'll have a herd of boys with me, all of them better and dreamier than you!"

Yu couldn't keep his mouth shut after that. He snorted, before he began to laugh. He tried to control himself, but he continued to snicker as the girl glared at him.

"What's so funny?!"

"Heh. Sorry, Tamami, but you'll find there's no guy out there better looking than me." He brushed his bangs aside, smirking proudly. "I'm one of a kind, and-" He didn't have the chance to finish as the girl frowned.

"Hmph. Your boyfriend's ego sticks out like a sour banana, Rise-senpai," Tamami commented, causing Yu's arrogance to crack for a moment.

"Wait, what?"

"B-boyfriend?! He's not my boyfriend!" Rise yelled, face a bright red as Kanji's face glowed a similar color. Even Naoto seemed to blush slightly, if only because the idea of Rise and Yu dating offended her so.

"Huh? Really?" the brunette idol asked, raising her brow. "But he's like a total nine."

"I'm a ten, thank you."

"Yu's like a brother to me," Rise explained. "I-I would never date him, and even if I could, we're idols! We can't have boyfriends!"

"That's not what I heaard," Sumomo sang. "There's a rumor going around that you have a boyfriend, Rise-senpai!"

"Oh my. How scandalous," Tomoe giggled.

"I-I don't have a boyfriend!" Rise replied, waving her hands in front of her.

* * *

Kanji let out a quiet sigh. The four girls were practically crowding around Yu, and the silverette didn't do much to stop them. He just kept them at a distance, smiling that stupid freakin' smile. The blond glanced at Naoto, who seemed mildly annoyed at the attention her boyfriend was getting.

Least it wasn't just Kanji...

"Alright, everyone, settle down. I just wanted you all to meet each other before the concert." Inoue looked at Rise and her friends, and motioned for them all to introduce themselves properly.

"Oh, my name is Naoto Shirogane," the detective quickly explained, nodding her head.

"Wow, the famed Detective Prince! It's an hour!" Tomoe beamed, bowing her head with the other girls. Naoto smiled politely as Kanji cleared his throat and stepped forward.

Now it was his turn to impress. "I'm Kanji Tatsumi," the taller man greeted, with his toughest voice.

Sadly, none of the girls seemed very impressed. The smallest of them blinked, before smiling. "Oh, I know you! You're Rise's tailor, right?! You make such pretty dresses for her, can I have one?!" Sumomo asked, beaming.

Kanji's tough guy act immediately deflated, and he let out a quiet sigh. "Ah… Yes. I'm her tailor," he muttered, catching an apologetic glance from Rise. The idols didn't give Kanji much attention after that. After all, Naoto was already pretty famous, and Yu was… well, he was Yu.

"Yu Narukami. It's wonderful to meet all of you," he grinned, smiling at all four of the girls and earning their attention. His silver eyes gleamed as Tomoe smiled.

"Such a mature response. I like what I'm seeing," she commented.

"Ahem. I'm sorry to disappoint, but Yu Narukami is taken." Naoto cleared her throat and caught the four's attention. Her tone was low, and clearly unamused. As if further prove her meaning, she grabbed Yu's hand and squeezed it, causing the taller man to blush.

The four idols clearly caught the message, and stepped back from the handsome, young man, each wary of the famed detective. Yu chuckled, only to become silent as his girlfriend glared at him.

Rise was quick to change the subject. "Hm? Inoue-san, where's Kanami? She isn't with you?"

"Oh, Kanami-chan is busy doing PR for her solo photobook right now, but I'm sure she'll be able to meet your friends tomorrow."

"Well, it's really nice meeting all of you," Yu commented, smiling at the girls. "I can't wait to see you perform at LMB."

"Right back at you, Yu-san," Tomoe smiled.

"Yeah, it was super-awesome meeting all of you!" Sumomo beamed.

"So, Rise-senpai, these are all your friends? Are there any more coming?" Tamami asked.

"Yep! I invited all of my closest friends from Inaba to come dance with me. This concert is about bonds, after all."

"Well, they do have an obvious rustic charm to them." Nozomi complimented. "It must be nice to have so many close friends…"

The other girls nodded their heads as Kanji raised his brow. Were they upset? What did they have to be upset about? Weren't they idols? Then again, so was Rise, and she got upset at stuff too… Kanji scratched the back of his neck as the Inoue clapped his hands, catching everyone's attention.

"Alright, girls, we should probably let Rise and her friends get back to practice. Would all of you mind waiting in your dressing rooms for me? We'll reconvene for the evening interview."

The Kanami Kitchen girls nodded in union, leaving with smiles and waves to Rise and the others. Inoue was the only one left, and he turned his head to Rise as he began to walk out.

"Oh, the TV spot for the LMB is going to be airing in Inaba soon. It's probably online by now. Your friends will probably see it in Inaba, so make sure you do too, Rise-chan."

"Right! Thanks, Inoue-san!" The man nodded his head, before glancing at Kanji. He gave the blond a strange look, before his smile returned. Without another word Inoue waved goodbye and left the four by themselves.

_What was that about? _Kanji wondered.

Naoto let out a quiet sigh and hung her head for a moment. "That was a tad overwhelming. It was like being in a room with five Rises…"

"Sounds like Kanji's dreams," Yu chuckled, glancing at the blond, who blushed from the remark. He didn't get a chance to fire back as Rise pouted.

"Hey! Is that what you think of me? I'm your teacher, you know," Rise pouted, crossing her arms.

"Apologies, Rise-san," the detective quickly replied, before looking at her boyfriend. "As for you, what was that?"

"What was what?"

"Narukami, I hope you weren't flirting with those women." Naoto frowned as she stared at her boyfriend. She tore her hand from his as she crossed her arms.

"What? No! I was just talking to them!"

"You were laying on the charm just a bit, Senpai," Rise commented. "Not to mention your eyes were on them for a little too long…"

"Rise, you traitor," Yu grumbled, before holding up his hands. "It's polite to look at people who are talking! A-and besides, I can't help it! I'm naturally charming…" He let out a sigh as his shoulders fell. He admitted defeat with a guilty smile. "Sorry, babe... I promise, I wasn't trying to flirt with them."

"It's alright." Naoto's frown was replaced by a small smile as she held her boyfriend's hand. "Just try not to be so… flirtatious around them?" Yu chuckled nervously as Kanji's eyes bounced between the three.

The only people in the room were the two couples, so why did Kanji feel like a third wheel…?

"So, uh… Inoue mentioned we'd be on TV?" Kanji asked, looking at the group. "Maybe we should check that out before practicing?"

"Oh, that sounds like a good idea, Kanji!" Rise grinned. "It's probably on Youtube by now. Give me a sec." She pulled out her phone as Kanji noticed Yu staring at him. Kanji raised a brow, before Rise spoke up.

"Ooh, I found it! Here!" The group crowded around Rise as she full screen the video and held up her phone.

The four saw a series of sparkles and stars zoom by, before it began to show off various famous idols. The announcer dramatically announced that Risette would be there, before showing footage of her and her friends dancing, ending with them jumping in the air and a zoom in on Rise's face.

Kanji frowned at the video. He focused on himself in the background, and it was clear he wasn't as quick or as graceful as his friends. He kept his mouth shut as the others commented.

"How embarrassing," Naoto mumbled.

"We look good," Yu commented.

"You bet we do!" Rise grinned.

The commercial then showed the Kanami Kitchen girls, plus their titular member. Kanji stared at the woman, and even he had to admit that she was pretty cute in her orange dress and apron.

"We'll see you soon at LMB! Let's make an everlasting bond! See you soon!" Kanami grinned, waving goodbye to the viewer with her friends.

The commercial seemed to have a strong effect on Rise, who turned to the others with a proud, wide grin on her face.

"Alright, team!" Rise beamed as she put her phone down. "The LMB Festival is coming up, so we better get to practicing!" she grinned as she looked at her three closest friends. "Let's do this!"

* * *

The four continued to practice and train for about an hour. They practiced the dance moves Rise taught them, each mastering the steps at their own pace. Of course Rise was the best of them, having plenty of prior experience. Yu was the second fastest learner, following the steps after only a few mistakes. Naoto had some trouble, with the only dancing experience she had being ballroom dancing and the party she and Yu had gone to during Halloween.

That left Kanji as the worst of them, a fact that did not escape the blond's notice.

"Alright, great work, everyone!" Rise grinned, clapping her hands.

"Yeah. Great," Kanji growled, sitting on the ground, panting.

"Hey, come on, Kanji-kun! You were great! You're already improving, I can tell!"

"Yeah," the young man muttered, glancing at the ground.

"How about we take five?" Yu suggested. "I'm pretty thirsty."

"Sounds like a plan," Rise agreed, as did Naoto.

"Kanji, come with me. Let's go get some water."

"Huh? Why do you need me?"

"Because I don't have any cash on me, so you're covering." Yu patted his friend on the back with a laugh. "Let's go, Mr. Wallet." The two men stood up as Kanji sighed, and with a quick wave, Yu gently pushed Kanji out of the dance room.

As soon as the two were out, Yu's demeanor changed and he looked at Kanji with a confused stare. "So, you wanna talk about it, or you gonna make me ask?"

"Huh?"

"I know you're upset about something, so let me help." Yu walked over to a nearby soda machine, finding the water bottle button. He reached into his pocket and took out some change, pushing it into the machine.

"Wait, you had cash?"

"Kanji, it's me. Of course I have money on me. Now, what's on your mind?"

Figures the smartass would have noticed something was wrong. Kanji frowned as he crossed his arms. _Damn it… _Yu might have been an ass half the time, but that was only cause the other half of the time he was a great freakin' friend to the blond.

"Guess I've just been annoyed with stuff."

"Stuff like…?"

"Me and Rise, I guess. We still haven't been able to go public with our relationship. Not to mention those girls thought you were her boyfriend…"

"Comes with my good lucks, I'm afraid. I'm classic eyecandy, and the perfect boytoy for most idols," Yu explained with a shrug. "You're-"

"Ugly?"

"I was going to say 'less conventionally handsome.'" Yu smiled as he held a water bottle out to his friend. "Here. Have you talked to Inoue about this?" Kanji took it, but he kept his arms crossed.

"Course I have, but every time the guy says it isn't time yet. That revealing Rise's relationship status is going to hurt her comeback… Honestly, I'm wondering if the guy just doesn't like me."

"Hm… Inoue seems like an alright guy to me, but that is possible," Yu confessed, only to flinch as he realized Kanji's mood plummeting even further.

"Not to mention, I just feel like I'm lagging behind." Kanji sighed as he hung his head low. "I feel so… small," he admitted, digging his fingers into his arms. "Rise's this amazing idol, Naoto's a famous detective, and you're…" Kanji didn't even bother finishing, shaking his head. "And I can't even get the dance steps right...

"It's not healthy to constantly compare yourself to everyone else," Yu commented.

"That's easy for you to say. You're smart, good looking, stronger… All I am is dumb muscle," Kanji huffed, glaring at Yu, who offered a sympathetic smile.

"Kanji, you know you're not small. I mean, you saved the whole world from evil! That's something no one can take away from you." He gently punched his friend shoulder with a grin.

"No, you and Naoto saved the world-"

"Hey. I only did it because I had a great team by my side," the silverette shot back. "I understand your getting impatience. You and Rise have been stuck in this 'dating, but not allowed to be seen dating,' thing for a while, right?"

"Months. Since you left Inaba…"

Yu nodded his head. "I'll try talking to Inoue. Maybe I can help convince him?"

"Heh. Thanks, Senpai. You're the best." Kanji finally smiled and Yu returned the gesture.

"I know. I-" Both boys turned their heads as they saw someone stumbling towards them. A young girl fell forward, and Yu rushed forward right that she fell right into his arms. "Gotcha! You okay, miss?"

The girl blushed as she looked up, her face inches from Yu's. The girl had large, thick glasses on her face, and long, brunette hair tied into two tails. She wore a plain, white shirt and green shorts, with a matching jacket tied around her waist. She struggled to say something as Yu smiled at her, his silver eyes glimmering.

"O-oh, uh…I-I'm sorry! I-I should! I'm leaving, quickly and quietly! Leaving!" She pulled away, practically jumping away as she tried to slip past between the two men. "I-I'm gone!" she declared, running from the two.

The two stared at the running girl, before sharing a glance. "That was… weird," Kanji commented. Yu nodded his head, before putting a finger to his chin.

"Hm…"

"What is it?"

"I think I've seen that girl before."

"Some intern, maybe? Or a crew member?"

"It's almost midnight," Yu reasoned. "Most people would be gone by now… Hm." The silverette shook his head, before looking at Kanji. "Probably nothing. Come on, we should get back inside before Rise starts working Naoto to the bone."

Kanji nodded, only to hesitate as a thought popped into his head. "W-wait, Senpai. Can I ask you something?"

"Hm? Sure, shoot."

"I just… I wanted to know how you do 'that' with girls."

"That?" Yu stared in confusion, before blinking. He chuckled as he looked at his friend. "Kanji are you asking me how to have sex with a girl?"

"What?! No! I-I mean talking to them! Like how you do! You always make girls blush, a-and charm them. Rise's the first girl I've ever made blush, but I'm worry that I...uh…"

Yu seemed to read his mind, finishing his thought. "You're worried you're not enough for her…?" Kanji confirmed the guess with a sigh. "Kanji, you're more than enough for her."

"Yeah, I know, it's just… I wish I could be more like you. Y'know, cool and charming."

The older man shook his head, clearly not happy with the statement. "No, you don't, Kanji... Alright, look, a simple piece of advice, Kanji? Compliment her. Find out what's worrying her, and make her feel better about it. Simple as that."

"You make it sound so damn easy…"

"Well, the first step is usually the hardest," Yu replied, patting Kanji's back.

* * *

"Rise-san, is something the matter?"

"Huh?" Rise blinked, before looking at Naoto. Kanji and Yu had just stepped out to get water when the detective popped the question, staring at her friend with curious eyes. "N-no! Why would you think that?"

"You seem off. Call it a gut feeling, but I just wanted to make sure you were okay," the shorter girl explained.

Rise nodded her head, not sure what else to do as she wrestled with herself. She stared at the floor, before looking at the door that Yu and Kanji had walked out of. They wouldn't have very long alone, so if she was going to tell Naoto anything, now would be the best time…

"Naoto, can we talk about something? Girl to girl?" Naoto seemed taken back by the question. Maybe she was just surprised by how serious Rise sounded, or maybe it was just the idea of having a 'normal' girl to girl discussion was odd to the detective. Either way, Naoto nodded her head.

"Of course, Rise-san. What is it?" She had a faint blush on her face, no doubt because of her inexperience with typical 'girl talk' situations. Rise chuckled in amusement a bit at Naoto's embarrassment, before the idol explained.

"It's about Kanji." Rise sighed as she pulled up a folded chair and propped it up, sitting on it as Naoto did the same. Both were sitting as Rise hung her head forward. "I think he hates me."

"I find that very unlikely, Rise. Kanji-kun loves you dearly, why would he hate you?"

"Because!" the idol groaned, smacking her forehead. "I feel like I've been leading him on for months!"

"Leading him on? I'm sorry, I don't understand."

"We've been dating for months, but… I don't even remember the last time we really did anything for him. I've been working so hard on returning to the stage, I just… I feel like I've been mistreating him. I haven't been to his place in weeks, we haven't been able to enjoy a nice dinner together, everywhere we go, we have to be careful about who sees us, and what they see us doing… We can't even kiss in public anymore, it always has to be behind closed doors because of how easily my whole career could shatter if the wrong pictures come out!"

Naoto blinked at the complaints, clearly surprised by the flood of emotions escaping from Rise's heart. The detective cleared her throat, before mentally going through what her friend had said. She sorted her thoughts, before she spoke again.

"Balancing one's profession and social life is difficult. I have no idea what it's like for an idol, but as a detective, I have to leave on cases away from Narukami. It's rarely easy, but at the same time I believe both Yu and Kanji understand we still care for them."

"But what if I'm hurting Kanji?" Rise sighed, shaking her head. "It's not the same, Naoto. You're gone for a week? Two? You can still be with Yu outside. You two can kiss and hold hands, and act like a couple. Kanji and I haven't been able to do anything for months! It's like we're not even a couple anymore." Rise squeezed her skirt, crumbling the fabric as Naoto placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

The room was silent for a moment, before rise muttered a question. "Am I being selfish? I want to be an idol, I really, really do, but what if it ruins things with Kanji? I really love him, but if my dream is what breaks us apart, I…" Rise let out a quiet sigh. "Am I a bad person for wanting the best of both worlds?"

"Of course not. Rise, you are one of the strongest women I know." Naoto smiled as Rise looked up, a surprised expression on her face. "I'm sure you'll find the right balance between Kanji and your dream."

"You really think so…? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like I might lose both of them if I don't pick one," sighed the copper-haired girl.

"I'm positive." Naoto smiled at her friend, before she thought about what to say next. An idea struck her, and she asked Rise another question. "If I may ask you something, the reason an idol cannot have a boyfriend is due to their image, correct? The worry that fans will see you differently?"

Rise nodded her head, and Naoto continued.

"When I finally embraced my gender, and began to take on a more feminine appearance, I feared that society would view me differently," Naoto explained, running her fingers through her long, blue hair. "And some did, but I also saw support from those that looked up to me. From women in law enforcement, to those simply afraid to be themselves. I believe the same will be true for you. You will find support in whatever you do, Rise, and in whoever you date."

"You make it sound really easy… I wish I could convince Inoue-san that me dating Kanji wouldn't change how my fans saw me, but he won't listen." Rise shook her head, before giving her friend a small grin. "Thanks, Naoto. For listening, and for giving me some advice. I just wish I had what you and Senpai have. You two seem so happy together, and you don't have to hide anything."

Naoto blushed at the comment, before giving Rise's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "If there's anything I can do, please let me know. Perhaps I can even speak to Inoue-san about the matter?"

"You'd do that?" Rise chuckled, bowing her head for a moment. "You're a really good friend, Naoto… Thank you…" The detective and idol smiled at one another, before Yu and Kanji stepped inside, water bottles in hand.

* * *

The group made small talk with one another as they enjoyed the refreshing drinks. As they spoke, Rise skimmed through news articles on her phone, smiling as she found what she was looking for.

"Oh! The Pre-LMB report is online!" she grinned, holding up her phone. The others moved beside her, watching her phone as she hit play. Yu watched as the screen showed the girls he had met earlier on a stage with a reporter.

"We're live with members of the Kanami Kitchen! Any comments for your fans?"

"I'm Tomoe Sayama, your soft lamb. I may be a bit gamey, but one bite, and you'll be hooked!"

"Hiya! I'm Tamami Uesugi, your fluffy hen and delicious to the bone!"

"I'm Sumomo Ujima! Everyone's favorite little piglet! I'm a pudgy ball of fun that loves to play and roll around all day!"

"I am Nozomi Nakahara, your noble stag. As powerful as I am beautiful, my gallantry will sweep you off your feet!"

"A lamb, a hen, a piglet, and a stag… Those are some interesting taglines," Naoto muttered, raising a brow in confusion.

"Well, they are Kanami 'Kitchen.' It's sort of their thing. You won't survive out in the idol industry nowadays without some kind of gimmick. They have this, and their whole producer drama to help keep them in the limelight."

"Producer drama?" Kanji repeated. "What drama?"

"Is this something we should know about?" Naoto asked, wondering if her detective skills would be in need. Rise was quick to calm the other girl down.

"No, no. It's just a thing they do to help keep everyone's eyes on them. Rumors and stuff that their producer is really hard on them, so the fans want to love and support them even more. There are even videos online of her insulting them or giving them impossible standards to reach." Rise glanced to the side, muttering something just loud enough for the others to hear.

"I used to think it was just a character she'd play, but she's exactly the same off camera, so..."

"Seems kind of… messed up," Yu commented. "I mean, I get needing a gimmick, but still…"

"I assume you've met their producer, Rise?" Naoto asked. The idol frowned, scratching her neck as she stuttered her words.

"Y-yeah. A few times," the young woman muttered. "She's the overall producer of LMB, so I've ran into her a few times. She's laser-focused, and not exactly the nicest person. She compares everyone to this impossible standard..."

Yu wanted to ask another question, before the video caught his attention. The announcer motioned to another girl, a very pretty one with long, bright, auburn hair and a yellow and pink dress, with a matching apron. The silverette immediately looked her over, listening to her voice and mentally connecting dots in his head.

"I-is here okay? It is? A-alright! Hi, everyone! I'm Kanami Mashita, your prized cow!"

"Hey, isn't that girl that everyone was calling the next Risette?" Yu asked aloud. He knew he was poking the bear, and he couldn't help but grin in amusement as Rise's mood suddenly turned hot and boiling. "Ooh. Sorry. Did I touch a nerve?"

Reformed or not, Yu loved messing with his 'little sister.'

"Y-yeah. She's really hot right now," Rise huffed. "Even with all my hard work, all I can do is match her popularity," the girl growled, even muttering to herself in a quiet huff. "Even though everyone knows she's totally had a boob job..."

"I'm pretty sure she hasn't. Breasts with silicone implants don't look like that."

"Narukami, where exactly are you looking?" Naoto's voice was a low, almost growling tone, yet it never lost her calm edge. That just made Yu more nervous as she glared at her boyfriend from the corner of her eyes. Yu immediately gulped, and he let out a nervous laugh.

"I'll just be quiet now."

As the commercial ended, Kanji glanced at his girlfriend. Yu's advice rang in his head as he made his move to try and make Rise feel better. He lifted up his hands and placed them on Rise's shoulders, surprising the idol as she turned to face him.

"Rise!" She blinked. "Don't worry about Kanami. You're a real cow!"

The air was quiet as the four stood there in a long, awkward silence. Rise's face was slowly turning red as Naoto's mouth hung open. Yu placed a hand on his face, covering one eye while the other stared at Rise and Kanji.

"God, it's like a train wreck. I want to look away, but I can't…"

"W-what? Did I say something-?"

"Excuse me?! What do you mean I'm a cow?!"

"S-should I have said a pig instead?"

"A pig?! Kanji, what the heck do you mean I'm a pig?!"

"I'm trying to give you a compliment!" Kanji groaned, blushing as his girlfriend glared at him, quivering with embarrassment.

* * *

As the group continued to practice, and Rise gave Kanji a rather painful silent treatment, a soft clap was heard. Yu and the others turned to find a woman standing in the doorway, clapping and staring at the four, though her gaze almost resembled a glare…

"Miss Ochimizu?"

The woman was clearly an older woman, with a rather sharp beauty to her, Yu noticed. Her black hair had a single streak of grey in it, though it only enhanced her beauty. She wore a lovely, black and white dress that reached down to her knees and a blue blazer hanging on her shoulders. Sunglasses sat on her forehead as she looked the group over with a sneer.

"How low Takura Productions has fallen… I never should have listened to Inoue's begging." Her eyes fell on Rise, glaring a hole through her. "Rise Kujikawa, do you actually intend on putting these children on my stage? They're barely at the level of a high school performance."

Rise was taken back by the bitter comment, but she held her ground. "As I've mentioned before, we have the organizers' approval. They've approved of my friends' coming onstage with me."

Kanji, seeing his girlfriend was under fire, was also quick to rise to her defense. "And who the hell are you to say whether or not we can belong on the stage?"

"The producer of the event."

"I… Oh." Kanji felt his cheeks turn warm as Yu quietly sighed behind him.

"Indeed, and don't think I haven't noticed you lagging behind, boy. You are easily the least skilled dancer here. Your 'dancing' is more akin to brutish stomping than anything else. I wonder why Rise would ever invite someone like you." Her sharp eyes than looked over Kanji's shoulder, to where Rise stood. "Then again, perhaps I shouldn't have expected much from her. She's little more than a pretty face. What can you expect from a little, plastic, dress up doll?"

"The hell did you just say?!" Kanji was steaming with rage, and even Rise was shaking slightly, trying not to fire back her own retort. Seeing this, Yu quickly stepped in to diffuse the situation.

"Excuse me." Yu made eye contact with Ochimizu, putting on the mask of a calm negotiator. "I'm sorry, but there's really no rude for personal insults. I understand you want LMB to go off well, we do as well, that is why we will practice every night, as much as we can. We'll learn from our betters, and work to reach a level you find satisfactory."

Yu bowed his head. "I understand if you find our dance moves lacking, but please do not bring personal vendettas into the workplace. It will only distract us. I am sorry."

The woman seemed surprised by Yu's polite, yet firm tone, before an amused smile formed on her face. "You have quite the friend here, Rise. A charming man to be sure. It'll be interesting to see how long his loyalty lasts in this industry."

Her glare turned to the others as Yu lifted his head. "Practice until you drop. You're free to make fools of yourselves in here, but I will not accept any mistakes on stage. Is that understood?" Before any of them could answer, Ochimizu added something that shocked the four. "Then again, it may be that your moment in the spotlight will be removed entirely."

She began to walk away, leaving the four. Before she closed the door, she glanced at Rise. "Rise, depending on how things go tomorrow, I may have you pair up with Kanami. If that happens, your friends will be given seats to enjoy the show."

"Wait! We have friends arriving here tomorrow! They-"

"And they have my sincerest apologies, but we simply will not have a need for them."

"I don't understand! What are you talking about? Why wouldn't you need them?" Rise asked, marching after Ochimizu. "And what about the rest of Kanami Kitchen? They have every right to be a part of the show too!"

Ochimizu didn't answer for a few seconds, before she finally gave a quick, low response. "No one has been able to find the other members of Kanami Kitchen. If they're not located soon, we will simply begin planning the festival without them." Before the four could even properly process the news, Ochimizu walked out the door and slammed it shut behind her. The four were left silent as they blinked, one after the other.

"M-missing?! They're missing?!" Rise gasped, eyes wide. "I… W-what did she mean, missing?"

"Gone? Location unknown? Not exactly a lot of other meanings," Yu commented, though he was clearly just as concerned as Rise was.

"This is concerning, but perhaps we should wait a moment." Naoto held up her hand, quick to pacify the others. "Rise, that woman, was she Kanami Kitchen's producer? The same with a controversy surrounding her?"

"Y-yeah." Rise's eyes widened, and she looked at Naoto with fear in her eyes. "Wait, you don't think she faked their disappearance? Maybe as a big publicity stunt?!"

"I don't know, but it's worth considering, if her previous behavior is any indication." Naoto took out her phone, typing at it. "Do you think your agency would have filed a missing person report?"

"I doubt it," Rise sighed. "A missing idol would stir major controversy. The agency wouldn't want that kind of bad press stirring, so they'd probably just try to figure it out themselves. What are you looking for?"

"I'm trying to find if there's been any mention of this on the news."

As Yu, Naoto, and Rise talked, each of them offering advice or a suggestion, Kanji was left in the dust, mouth agape and voice quiet. He didn't say anything, only sighing as he simply waited for them to need him.

"If Miss Ochimizu wanted this information to get out, it probably would be by now." A quick skim through recent news regarding the girls made Naoto sigh and shake her head. "But there's nothing here."

"She could be waiting to reveal it tomorrow morning," Rise suggested.

"Hey, Naoto." Yu's voice caught everyone's attention, and the others looked at him. "Is it possible this could be related to your investigation?"

"Investigation? What investigation?" Rise asked, while Naoto pondered the question.

"It's possible…." The detective looked at Kanji and Rise, and explained. "You both remember Mitsuru-san, correct?"

"From the P1 Grand Prix? Yeah, why?" Kanji answered.

"She sent me a case recently. She wanted my opinion on it, as well as to warn us in case we ran into anything odd."

"Which knowing our luck, we would. God, this has been a busy year for supernatural events," Yu muttered from Naoto's side, an almost amused smile on his face.

"It was about a series of strange cases of what seemed to be Apathy Syndrome. To put it simply, individuals were being rendered into a comatose state, unable to interact with the outside world. Most, if not all, of these cases mentioned a rumor surrounding the Love Meets Bond Festival."

"W-what? Our festival? Why?" Rise asked. Naoto pressed on her phone a few times, before handing it to Rise and Kanji. The two looked at the article as the detective continued.

"The rumor is that a video appears at midnight on the site, and those who watch the video are 'pulled into the other side,' and are left in a comatose state."

Rise shivered as a cold chill crawled up her spine, but one word struck a very particular chord. "Did you say the video shows up at midnight?"

"Ah, man," Kanji groaned, rubbing the back of his neck.

Yu voiced Rise and Kanji's thoughts as he crossed his arms. "Just like the Midnight Channel."

Kanji shook his head, hoping that the rumor was simply that. "C-come on. A video online that sends people to the other side? N-no way, right?"

"A 25th hour where people turn into coffins, robots and dogs with Personas, and oh, let's not forget the murderer who used an alternate dimensions to kill two people," Yu retorted. "At this point, I think we should be looking at the strangest answer first, rather than last."

He glanced at the clock on the wall, before looking at the others. "It's almost midnight. I vote we try watching the video. If nothing happens, we simply forget about it and treat this like a normal investigation, but if Shadows are involved, we need to get involved, and fast. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Naoto replied with a nod. Rise and Kanji glanced at one another, before they both nodded their heads. Neither looked very excited about the idea, but they saw the logic in it. The copper-haired woman handed Naoto her phone, and the detective began typing the concert's site into the URL.

As the group waited for the site to load, Yu couldn't help but try to lighten the mood. He clapped his hands and smiled. "Alright. Let's see if we can awaken some dark, unholy forces."

"Don't joke about it, Senpai!" Rise pouted, grabbing Kanji's arm and squeezing it.

"H-hey! Ow! Not so tight!"

As the two held onto one another, Yu and Naoto shared a glance. They shared a silent conversation, before both nodded their head in agreement. The group watched the site appear, and when the clock struck twelve, the phone's screen was covered in static.

"If a girl in a well show up-" Yu was silenced as Naoto grabbed his arm. Not out of fear, but as a silent request to look. The two stared at the phone, and they watched as several human silhouettes appeared on the screen, dancing and swaying to a silent song.

The two showed Rise and Kanji the video, and the couple's eyes widened as the video ended just as quickly as it began.

"Think Miss Ochimizu planned this?" Yu asked, sarcastically. Just after speaking, the four heard something in the air, like a voice whispering at them. "Did… you guys hear that too?"

The lights above them began to flicker on and on as the air suddenly chilled their skin. Yu could see his breath as he quickly ordered the others to move.

"Everyone, back to back, don't let anything sneak up on us!" he ordered. The four made a square together, looking around the room as the lights began to dim and a cold shiver crawled up their back like tiny, little hands.

A voice laughed at them, cool breath brushing against their neck as they turned around to find only one another behind them.

"I've prepared a special place for you, Rise Kujikawa." Immediately, Kanji held his girlfriend's hand as he glared into the dark corners of the room. He was ready to protect her as the voice chuckled.

The voice was distorted, like it was coming from a broken speaker, with the pitch fluctuating between inhumanely low to ear-bitingly high. Still, the group could tell it sounded feminine.

"How do you know my name? Who are you?!" Rise shouted.

Suddenly a bright light blinded the four. Naoto was the first to see it, a swirling light above them, almost like a whirlpool. It spun above their heads as the light from within the spiral seemed to blink, before staring at them.

"What is that…?" she wondered, before several long, yellow tendrils shot out the spiral. The yellow, cloth-like arms wrapped around Rise's waist, before doing the same to Naoto's arms. "What-?!"

"Naoto!"

"Rise!"

Both boys ran to their girlfriends, wrapping their arms around them as more yellow tentacles slithered around their arms and legs.

Despite their best efforts, Yu and Kanji were soon captured as well, and lifted up to the mouth of the portal. Rise and Kanji were pulled in first, vanishing behind the bright light as Yu looked into his girlfriend's cobalt eyes.

"Ready to save the world again?" Yu asked, a proud smirk on his face. Naoto said nothing, but she gave her boyfriend a small smile, and a silent promise.

Whatever they faced, they did so together. Yu and Naoto were swallowed up by the light, and the room was left empty as the portal vanished and the lights returned to their normal color. There were no sign of the four, beyond four empty bottles of water laying on the ground.

**END**

Y'know, some things stand out to me as I listen to the Persona 4: Dancing All Night cutscenes.

Ashly Burch is nowhere near as good a Rise as Laura Bailey. I apologize if you like her performance, but Laura Bailey just nailed that role. She's such an amazing voice actress. I genuinely think that the best acted characters of the original Persona 4 game were Naoto (whoever that was voicing her), Laura Bailey as Rise, Johnny Yong Bosch as Adachi, and Troy Baker as Kanji.

Don't get me wrong. Everyone did a great job, but those four always stand out to me.

It's a real shame P4 is so bad at holding onto actors. Chie's new voice is fine, Erin Fitzgerald does a good job, Sam Riegal's Teddie is good, though I prefer the original, Matthew Mercer sounds a lot like Troy Baker, so that's fine… As for Naoto, I will always prefer her first voice actress from the original game, and Golden.

Seriously, she nailed almost every line. She could play annoyed Naoto, serious Naoto, having fun Naoto, embarrassed Naoto… The voice from the Q games and Dancing All Night is fine, but she isn't as good as the original, In my opinion, of course, feel free to disagree.

When did this turn into a review? Sorry for rambling, just something that came to mind while I was working on this chapter.

Anyways, mostly just exposition and foreshadowing stuff here. Nothing major, but I had to get through it. Kanji's feeling sad, Rise's feeling sad, Yu and Naoto are… honestly pretty happy with life.

Writing this story gives me the chance to poke fun at the characters' lives. Like, you ever think about how much Yu and Naoto have gone through by now? I mean, think about it. Persona 4, Persona Q (yes, I know they forgot it happened, it still counts), Persona 4 Arena, Arena Ultimax, Persona Q2 (wherever that falls in the timeline), and Persona 4 DAN. That's six times the group saved the world from supernatural forces, all in the span of one or two years.

It'd be stranger if they weren't used to supernatural kidnappings by now, honestly…

Anyway, I'll stop rambling. Have a good day, hope you enjoyed the chapter, stay safe, and know that you are loved.

See ya!

… You ever notice how in P4, all the characters have flip phones, but in Dancing All Night, which is just a few months in the future, they all have smartphones with a touch screen? I mean, I get it, DAN came out in a time where everyone has a smartphone… That's another thing that stood out to me about P4 DAN.

Do you ever think about how weird it is that Persona 4 was released in 2008, took place in 2011, and ran until around 2018?

I think this is the longest Author's Note I've ever made...


	3. Da Capo

**Da Capo**

Yu, Naoto, Kanji, and Rise had been pulled into another world. Again. They were pulled into the portal, and now they were careening through the void between worlds, feeling completely weightless as they hovered in nothingness. Then came the ground.

The four cursed and swore as they hit the ground, laying on the floor together. Naoto was the first to get up, pushing herself off the ground with her hands as she looked around.

"Is everyone okay?"

"Better than," Yu commented, and it took Naoto a moment to realize his voice was coming from below her. She glanced down, cheeks turning red as she realized Yu was lying beneath her, his face in line with her chest. She had landed on top of him, with his legs trapped between her own.

Naoto gasped, quickly standing up as she glared at her boyfriend. He simply lifted up his hands and laughed. "Hey, you fell on me. Can't blame me for this one." The detective rolled her eyes, before she helped her boyfriend onto his feet.

Meanwhile, Rise groaned in pain as Kanji sat on her back, crushing the poor idol. The blond gasped, quickly standing up.

"S-shit! Rise, I'm sorry!"

"It's fine. Just… my spine," the woman groaned, slowly getting up. Kanji helped up onto her feet as the four looked around. It was dim, but the group's eyes slowly adjusted to the dark to take in their surroundings.

The four were on a stage, when suddenly the whole area began to light up. Bright lights from above, and even the ground itself, illuminated the large room. The stage was massive, stretching out as curtains with bright, pink hearts hung on either side. A trio of bright pink heart lit up above the group, with Rise's name in the center, shining brightly.

"Well, that's just gaudy," Yu commented.

A voice laughed, the same one the group heard before they were taken. "Welcome Rise Kujikawa to our Midnight Stage."

"Midnight Stage?" Kanji repeated.

"That's right. An ideal world where no hurts, or gets hurt. I only intended to bring Rise-san here, but oh well. The stage will suit all of you."

"So, you've been the one kidnapping people, huh? Who are you? Why are you doing this?!" Rise growled, stomping her foot.

"Never mind that, Rise… I simply wish to connect with all of you. To form an everlasting bond, and I am not the only one."

It started as a low series of thuds, then growls. The four turned their heads, looking around them as Shadows rose up from the ground, surrounding the stage they were on. Their eyes widened as they saw the familiar monsters once again, coming in many familiar shapes and sizes as they stared at the group with piercing, bloodsoaked eyes.

"Shadows… Damn, there's like a hundred of them," Kanji muttered.

"What's with the gold ribbon on all of them?" Yu asked, pointing at the crowd.

Kanji quickly realized what his friend was talking about. Every last Shadow had a golden ribbon wrapped around their hands, legs, and even necks, connecting them together. When one creature lifted up their hands, another followed, like some kind of deranged puppet show. The monsters let out a groan, their bodies convulsing and twisting as if their bodies were no longer theirs to command.

Naoto's eyes sharpened as she watched the ribbon twitch, moving almost like a snake before the Shadows let out another groan, though this one turned into more of a scream as they shouted at the group.

"Listen to them cheer, they want to see you sing and dance, Rise-san," the voice cooed.

"You're insane!" Rise shouted, glaring up at the roof of the room. "You kidnap us, and now you want us to dance for you? No way! We want answers! Did you kidnap my friends?!"

The room suddenly became quiet, and the Shadows froze as the ribbon linking them went taut. That was when Kanji realized song that had been playing in the back of his head since getting here. It was easy to miss when someone was talking, or when the Shadows were making noise, but with the room so quiet, the sound was clear.

"You guys hear that music?" he asked, looking around.

As if in response the music began to grow louder and soon it was almost painful to listen to, blasting into the four's ears. The music itself was… distorted. It sounded artificial, like someone had taken an existing song and hammered away at it, making the pitch and tone contort and bend unnaturally. There was a haunting and eerie quality to it, with voices hidden just behind the distorted effect. It made each of the four teen's skin crawl as it spilled over them like a flood.

The Shadows heard it as well, and they began to move again, or rather, the ribbon linking the Shadows began to move. It made the Shadows sway and dance to the song, in a clearly forced manner. The ribbon was both the puppeteer's string and the puppeteer itself as it forced the Shadows to convulse and spasm.

"What an annoying… annoying… whoa," Yu groaned, holding his head.

"I suddenly feel… weak." Naoto shook her head back and forth, legs shaking as she tried to compose herself.

"Jesus, I feel like I just ran a mile… or two. M-maybe three," Kanji was shaking, almost falling to the ground. Rise stood behind him, just as affected as she stumbled in place and fell to the floor. Thankfully her boyfriend caught her as the song continued to stab at their ears.

"What's happening? I feel so weak." Rise struggled to speak as her boyfriend held her up.

"Isn't it wonderful? This song is my gift to you. Can't you feel everyone's desire to bond with you? To be one with you?"

"Yu! We need to put an end to that song," Naoto declared, unbuttoning her top. The others stared at her, eyes wide and faces scarlet as Naoto reached under her shirt and pulled out a small revolver.

"Wait, wait, wait! You brought a gun?! To dance rehearsal?!" Rise asked, clearly shocked.

"What the hell, Naoto?" Kanji shouted.

"Why would you bring a gun?! Have you been hiding that this whole time?!"

"Naoto, honey, we've talked about this," Yu groaned, before his lips curved into an amused smile. "Do you really need to bring a gun everywhere we go?" Despite the fatigue his body was experiencing, he still found the strength to chuckle.

"Considering our typical luck, and our current situation? Yes, I do."

Yu shook his head with an amused smile, before looking at Rise and Kanji. "Last time we were making out, I almost grabbed her gun and-"

"They don't need to hear that!" Naoto shouted, glaring at her boyfriend with scarlet cheeks.

He chuckled again, before holding out his hand. A blue card formed before his fingers as he smirked. Naoto lifted up her gun and took aim, firing into the crowd as Yu crushed the card.

"Persona!"

Izanagi-No-Okami formed above him, and flew towards the crowd of Shadows. The mighty Persona was dressed in his white coat and mask, the same one he wore when he defeated Izanami with Yu. He wielded his two sided blade, swinging it into the army of Shadows, only to freeze in place.

"Huh?" Yu and Naoto blinked, watching the Persona struggle to move. Suddenly he began to dissipate, as if time had been forced to rewind, and Yu had never summoned him in the first place. "What the hell?!"

Naoto stared into the crowd with wide, shocked eyes. Her bullet never hit it's target. It had vanished like smoke in the wind, and now the group was defenseless as the music grew louder and louder.

"I told you. This is a world where no one hurts, or gets hurt," the voice laughed.

"Ahh! I… beg to differ," Yu groaned, holding his head.

* * *

Rise leaned against her boyfriend. He held her tight, holding her as she struggled to breathe.

Kanji stared into his girlfriend's closed eyes as memories flashed through his mind. Old wounds reopened, mental scars blistered apart as suddenly he was back in Inaba, roughly one year ago...

"_Rise!" _He tried to save her. He tried as hard as he could, but...

"_Kanji, I-" _Rise was taken from him. He saw into her eyes, and he saw how terrified she was as the Shadows dragged her into the ground.

"_No… No!"_ He lost her. He loved Rise, and he lost her. For all of his strength and bravado, he failed to save her.

Kanji looked at Yu and Naoto. They'd save her. They had to, he knew they could. They were the ones to save Rise before….

"Come on, guys, there has to be a way out of this!" Naoto and Yu looked at one another, before Rise's legs suddenly gave way. She crumbled in Kanji's arms, almost falling to the ground as he caught her. "Rise!"

The memories flashed again, and Kanji felt his blood turn cold. He saw the black, knife-like fingers of the Shadows clawing at Rise's skin, dragging her down into the abyss. Everyone was screaming. Kanji could barely hear them. He was smashing his shield against the stone, trying to find Rise.

Then those same hands grabbed at his body, but he couldn't waste his time thinking about it. He had to save Rise, but… he couldn't. He wasn't strong enough.

The blond man felt tears pooling in his eyes, blurring his vision. He wiped them away, scowling as he tried to bring himself back to reality. Suddenly something else caught his ear, and he turned his head as a musical beat began to play against the distorted song.

"Huh?"

Rise's phone had fallen out of her pocket when she fell. It slid on the ground and began to play a random song from the idol's playlist, and the song clashed with the draining symphony.

As the songs fought with one another, each of the four felt a moment of clarity. The pain was gone, and their strength was slowly returning to them as the beat continued to play.

"The Shadows…" Naoto pointed at their 'audience,' and the others followed her gaze. The Shadows' bodies were shaking, bending and twisting as if they were being pulled in two different directions. As if two different forces were trying to possess them. "What's happening to them?" Her eyes widened as she looked at Rise's phone. "Could it be…?"

Kanji could tell her mind was moving a mile a minute, before Naoto dashed to Rise and Kanji. He began to help the idol up as she spoke, "The Shadows are being affected by the music. Look!" She gestured to the Shadows again.

"The yellow ribbon. Doesn't it look like it's chaining the Shadows? What if the music was forcing them into their dance?" She looked at Yu now, a grin forming on her face as she pieced together a theory. "I believe that song can only take away our energy in conjunction with the Shadows' dance. If we interrupt their song, we interrupt their dance, and that is our key to escaping."

Yu shared his girlfriend's smile. "That's a hell of a theory, Naoto, but it's as good as we got. Alright, how do we do that?"

"The music playing is a good first step, but it's clearly not enough…" Naoto snapped her fingers and pulled away from Rise and Kanji. The three watched as she picked up the fallen phone. "If we force them into a different song and dance, one of our choosing, perhaps that-"

She stopped. Like someone had just hit pause on her mind. Naoto froze as Yu and the others stared in confusion.

"Naoto? You okay?" Yu stepped forward, only to be stopped by Rise clinging to his arm.

"Senpai, wait! Look at her leg!" The three glanced down, finding a long, yellow ribbon wrapped around Naoto's leg, slithering up her body like a constrictor.

"What a chatty child," the Eerie Voice hissed.

"Naoto! No!" Yu fought against Rise and Kanji, trying to reach his girlfriend as he saw the bright, navy eyes of the detective begin to dim.

"Stop… stop their…" Naoto was pulled to the ground, falling as more ribbons wrapped around her arms and legs. One even curled around her neck, squeezing tightly as she gasped for air. "Their dance."

"Naoto!"

* * *

Naoto opened her eyes to an utter void. Darkness surrounded her as she gasped for air, clawing at her neck. There were no ribbons though. Nothing but her own skin and clothing.

"What…?" Wherever she was, it was cold. Her body felt a chill run down it as she saw her own breath.

"Naoto Shirogane, is this who you want to be? Some pampered up bimbo hanging off a man's arm?"

Her eyes widened as anger burned her cheeks. "Excuse me?!"

"This isn't who you want to be, is it? Some whore who needs a man?" That same voice mocked Naoto as a mirror formed before the woman, showing her reflection. Except it wasn't the present day her who looked back at her.

It was who she was before she met Yu. Hiding her gender, stoic stare on her face.

"You allowed him to change you. Make you something you aren't. Bond with us, and we will make you right again. Accept you for your true self."

Naoto began to change. Her eyes widened as her long hair began to evaporate, as if someone had lit a match at the end of each blue thread until her hair was back to its old length.

Yellow ribbons wrapped around her legs, trapping them together as they continued to coil around her. It was like she was being trapped in a cocoon and every inch the ribbons covered was like more poison entering her mind.

"Don't you want to be bonded to us?"

"Y-yes…"

A place to be loved. To be respected. Wasn't that what she always wanted? To be needed… Naoto's eyes lost their color, fading into a dull, blue-grey tone as she stopped struggling.

The ribbons wrapped tightly around her, pressing her breasts against her chest like a sarashi. Her new, femininity was wrong. She shouldn't be proud to be a woman. She wouldn't have been proud to be anything. Only one of many.

The ribbons were so warm to the detective… She went limp as they wrapped around her head, blinding her and dragging her to hundred other cocoons just like hers. She was one of them now, just like them, indistinguishable from those she bonded with. Any unique traits, such as her body, hair, and eyes was hidden, erased from her mind.

She was one of many bound forever by the same ribbon.

This was what she wanted. What she needed. Yu made her into his plaything. Into what he wanted. He didn't love h-

_No! _In an instant, the color returned to Naoto's eyes and she began to claw at the ribbons binding her body. She forced the invading thoughts out of her mind as she struggled to escape, thrashing her body within the chrysalis.

She felt a warmth touch her hand, and the sleuth felt her strength return to her. She tore at the ribbons as her hair grew back, ripping the ribbons apart until they stopped squeezing down on her chest and she could breathe again.

Naoto burst free from her prison, gasping for air as realized her hand was glowing, or rather, her ring. The ring that Yu gave her, the one that held the Orb of Truth on it, shined bright. As Naoto stared at the ring, she also saw her watch, and the sight of these possessions calmed her racing heart.

She loved Yu. One day, she would marry him. They changed each other, yes, but that was because they helped each other grow. He helped her accept who she was, to believe in herself. Naoto helped him like how he helped her, and they were stronger because of it.

More ribbons came to coil around her body, but she pulled herself free.

"You won't control me!" Naoto continued to pull away and break free from the ribbons as she screamed out to the abyss. The ribbons could only slow her down as she fought against them, swarming over her like the tendrils of some undersea beast.

As she fought against them, a song tickled her ears. She turned her head, seeing a light shining in the darkness. She didn't know what it was, but… she trusted it. She knew who it was from, feeling his presence in the light.

"Yu…"

* * *

Yu, Rise, and Kanji watched as the ribbons pulled Naoto away from them and into the air, holding her body up like a marionette. The silverette was shaking with rage as he dug his fingers into the palms of his hands, before he let out a low sigh.

_Stay calm, _he told himself. _You always make stupid mistakes when you get angry. Stay calm, and think. What would Naoto do? _

"She said we need to change their song and dance. How do we do that?" He looked at his friends, before looking at the phone Naoto had dropped. "A different song playing helps, but-"

"What if you danced?" Rise spoke without thinking, and her eyes widened as Kanji and Yu stared at incredulously. "I know how it sounds, but think about it! Dance is all about expressing yourself! Music gets the Shadows to stop dancing, what if you dancing will make them dance along!?"

Kanji clearly didn't believe in her idea, shaking his head in disbelief. "Come on, Rise, that's-"

But Yu held up a hand, stopping his blond friend. "Let's give it a shot."

"What?!"

"Wait, really?" Yu nodded his head as Rise blinked, astounded he was actually taking the idea seriously.

"We can't fight these Shadows, and the song isn't going to keep them confused for long. Rise, can your phone play that song any louder?" The idol picked up her phone as ribbons slithered onto the stage, their bodies writhing and twitching as they surrounded the three.

"This is as loud as it gets… Wait, I got it! Persona!" The card floated before Rise and she clapped her hands, crushing it between them. Her Persona, Kanzeon, formed behind her, and the young woman gave her phone to her other self. "I hope this works…"

Her Persona slid her finger over the phone, as if picking a track, before tapping her finger against the screen. She then pressed her hands together, keeping the phone tightly snug between her palms as a new song began to drown out the distorted melody.

"It's working!" Kanji gasped, staring the ribbons as they retreated, as if the Shadows themselves pulled them back.

"Only halfway. Come on, Kanji. You and me need to dance," Yu declared.

"W-wait, what? No way, uh uh, I can't dance, Yu-senpai, you've seen me!"

"Naoto is in trouble. Rise is in trouble. I need your help to try and get them, and us, out of here. Now, you with me?" Yu grabbed his friend's shoulder, squeezing it.

"I... Yeah, I'm with ya."

"Good. Let's-" Yu blinked. He knew he heard this song from somewhere before... He turned his head to Kanzeon, an amused frown on his face. "Really, Rise? A boy band song?"

"Hey, I didn't pick it, Kanzeon did!" Though judging by the smile on her face, Rise certainly didn't mind the pick.

"Heh. Come on, Kanji! We're dancing!" Yu grabbed his friend's arm and ran forward to the center of the stage. Kanji followed, mentally groaning as the song played louder, and a young man's voice began to sing.

The song was a pop song sung by a group of young, almost teenage boys, and it carried an uplifting, happy-go lucky beat as it filled the stage.

"_You're insecure. Don't know what for. You're turning heads when you walk through the do-o-or!"_

Yu bobbed his head to the beat, swaying his shoulders side to side. Kanji did his best to imitate his friend, trying to move his body in rhythm to the song.

"S-Senpai, are we sure about this?"

"You got a better idea?" Yu shot back. He saw Naoto's strung up body out of the corner of his eyes and he tried not to let his anger and fear stifle his moves. He refused to let Kanji see the terror in his eyes, so Yu smirked at his friend, trying to inspire his friend. "Don't worry about how you look. Try to let the rhythm control you. Let go. Relax."

"Pretend like our lives don't hang in the balance?"

Yu's smirk didn't falter for a moment. "Now you get it."

The song continued to play and Yu stepped up his game. He stomped a foot to the ground, before stomping the other. His hands glided through the air as he closed his eyes and let go. He remembered Halloween night, and Naoto's smile as they danced the night away.

The song's fast paced and uplifting tone made Yu grin as he jived his body side to side,

"_Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else, but you!" _

Yu lifted up his hands. Framing his face as he smiled, stepping forward as his body bounced to the beat. Kanji watched his friend with wide, shocked eyes, before he realized the Shadows seemed to imitating Yu, moving their bodies in time with his.

"_Baby you light up my world like nobody else! The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed, but when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell… You don't know, oh oh… You don't know you're beautiful!" _

Yu saw Naoto's blushing face, her beautiful smile, and her dancing body. She danced with him just like she did that night, and he found himself actually having fun as his heart knew he'd save her. Izanami couldn't keep the two apart. Death couldn't keep them apart. Some voice and a few ribbons certainly weren't.

The silverette was an extension of the music, or perhaps, it was an extension to him. His movements were fast, like jabs of lightning as his feet moved like a storm, bouncing off the ground with amazing speed and grace.

"_If only you saw what I can see you'll understand why I want you so desperately! Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe. You don't know, oh oh… You don't know you're beautiful, oh oh! That's what makes you beautiful!"_

But for Kanji, dancing beside Yu was sort of like watching a weightlifter lift thousands of tons up with a single hand, while you struggled with a ten pound weight.

While Yu was wowing the crowd, he was standing around like an idiot. Kanji shook his head and tried to join his Senpai, stomping his feet and moving his arms through the air like Yu was. Unfortunately, his moves weren't nearly as graceful as the silverette's, and the Shadows seemed to notice this.

They turned their black, hollows eyes to Kanji, growling and stomping their feet in displeasure. The Shadows could feel Kanji's fear, taste his own self-doubt. They were like a swarm of piranhas after tasting a drop of blood. Riled up, aggressive, and wanting nothing more than his end. They were kept back only by the yellows ribbons and the stage as they groaned in displeasure.

Yellow ribbons shot out of the audience to lunge at Kanji. The blond's eyes widened, only for him to be pulled out of the way. Yu held Kanji in his arms, their hands linked as Yu continued to dance, controlling Kanji's moves like a puppet.

"Just follow my moves. You got this. Focus," Yu advised, helping his friend move more in time with the beat.

"_So come on, you got it wrong. To prove I'm right, I put it in a so-o-ong. I don't know why, you're being shy, and turn away when I look into your eye eye eyes!" _

Kanji blushed as Yu held his hands, feeling humiliated as his friend led him through the dance. Rise seemed to enjoy it though, laughing as she cheered the two on.

"Way to go, you two! It's working! The Shadows are dancing with you!"

It was true. The Shadows were now dancing to their beat almost entirely. Few if any were remained frozen as the distorted song couldn't be heard over the other song, or the stomping feet of those dancing.

"I'm going to dip you," Yu warned, a mischievous smile on his face.

"Huh? Whoa!" Kanji was spun around and dipped, leg pointed at the sky as Yu wrapped his arms around him, holding Kanji over the ground. The blond clung to his friend, holding onto him as Yu lifted his friend back onto his feet.

"_Na na na na, na na naaa na na!" _

The song began to slow down and Yu clapped his hands, freeing Kanji as the blond quickly did the same. The Shadows, and Rise copied in time as the singer slowly sang the next verse.

"_Baby you light up my world like nobody else. The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed, but when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell… You don't know, oh oh. You don't know you're beautiful!"_

Suddenly two cards appeared above Yu and Kanji, falling between the boys' hands. They shared a look, Yu grinning with pride as Kanji's jaw fell open in shock. Both men clapped their hands, crushing the cards above them as the song came to one last bombastic end.

Izanagi-No-Okami appeared in front of the silverette, his weapon replaced with a large guitar. Rokuten Maou appeared beside him, a drumset appearing in front of the large, red Persona. A pair of club-like drumsticks were in his hands as Kanji blinked.

"Uh… Are they holding instruments?"

"Cool." Yu grinned as the three Personas, Kanzeon, Rokuten Maou, and Izanagi-No-Okami worked in tandem.

The two male Personas played their music, hitting the right notes as they strummed their guitars and hammered their drums. They shared a look, bumped their fists together, before they continued to play. Kanzeon played the song loudly for the grand finish, and the force of the music literally burned the yellow ribbons in a blue fire.

"_If only you saw what I can see! You'll understand why I want you so desperately. Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe, you don't know, oh oh! You don't know you're beautiful, oh oh!"_

Yu ran to his girlfriend, watching as the fire burned away at the ribbons. Her skin was left untouched as Naoto's arm broke free, and she began to tear the burning binds off of her body. The flames didn't seem to bother her as she broke free, falling into Yu's arms.

"_That's what makes you beautiful!" _

"You okay?" the silverette asked his girlfriend, who groaned in pain, rubbing her head.

"What happened…?"

"Oh, you know. The usual stuff. Shadows, monsters, lives on the line. You're the smartest person here so the bad guy tried taking you out, but I rescued with my awesome dance moves." Naoto stared at Yu incredulously, lifting up her brow as he chuckled. "What? No thank you kiss for your hero?"

"Way to go, you guys! That was amazing!" Rise cheered, running over to her friends. Kanji was panting, trying to calm his racing heart as adrenaline finally began to die down. His Persona threw the sticks into the air, flexing his muscles, before he vanished.

"That's what I felt…?" Naoto uttered, catching Yu's attention.

"Huh?"

"When I was captured, I had a bizarre dream. Perhaps nightmare would be more appropriate. Regardless, I felt a warmth calling to me, trying to help me break free. That must have been you…"

"Nothing's gonna keep us apart, Naoto. You know that," he grinned, glancing at his watch. She followed his eyes, and the watch, just like hers, read 'Distance: 1m.'

Izanagi-No-Okami floated by, and Naoto could almost feel the Persona's happiness as it looked upon her. He nodded his head, before strumming one last chord and vanishing before her eyes.

The navy-haired detective smiled, and she gave her boyfriend a peck on his lips, before he let her down. Rise hugged her own boyfriend's arm as the four regroped, assembling in the center of the stage as they watched the fire consume the Shadows, but not burn them.

In fact, it seemed to free them instead.

The Shadows began to ascend, bathed in a glorious blue light as they floated into the air, vanishing into a light.

"Uh… Where are they going?" Kanji asked, aloud.

"Heaven?" Yu shrugged.

The tattered, burned remains of the ashes floated down to the ground, reduced to ash before they even touched the floor. The vanishing Shadows glowed and shimmered as they faded away, reflecting off of the shreds of yellow, creating a spectacular light show.

"Wow," Rise whispered, squeezing Kanji's arm. "It's beautiful…"

"I believe you just saved them," Naoto declared. "I believe they were being held prisoner here, just like us."

"Whoa. Weren't we supposed to save people from Shadows, not save Shadows from evil ribbons?" Kanji wondered. "The hell's wrong with this place…?"

"Those Shadow felt different," Rise commented. "I don't think they were like the ones from our first adventure, but I can't really describe it. I don't think they want to hurt us. They just want to go home."

"Leaving my stage?" The Eerie Voice hissed, her voice low, yet almost booming into their ears. "After all the work I did to create it?"

"There's that voice again," Yu sighed.

"Come out and fight! We'll kick your ass! W-with our… dance moves," Kanji grumbled, blushing as he realized the facts of this world.

"Hmm. Very well. If you don't appreciate my hard work, I won't force you to stay here. Besides, there are plenty more lonely souls desperate for friendship and love… Countless others to forge a bond with..."

"We won't let you hurt anyone else!" Naoto growled.

"You don't get a say in the matter. Unlike you, Tamami and the others appreciate all I do for them."

"Tamami…?" Rise's eyes widened. "You kidnapped the Kanami Kitchen girls, didn't you!? Let my friends go!"

"What do you care? It has nothing to do with you," the voice replied with a laugh.

Rise ground her teeth, before she summoned her Persona. She wouldn't let this entity hurt anyone, especially not her friends! Kanzeon gave the young woman sight beyond the stage they were on, and the copper-haired woman gasped as her senses extended for miles.

"I-I feel them," she whispered, her voice a mix of horror and hope. She also felt the heavy, crushing weight of Shadows. There were so many, packed together into four different areas. _That has to be where they were, _she realized. "There are a lot of Shadows, but I think I feel them…"

Suddenly a voice cried out. Rise could feel fear in the air, terror as she tried to pinpoint the origin of the scream. That voice. It had to be Tomoe Sayama!

Wait! I-I think I feel Tomoe! She's-"

"Ah, ah, ah. The venue is off-limits to unauthorized personnel. Goodbye, Rise Kujikawa."

Suddenly a portal opened up below the four, and all they could do was scream as they fell down, vanishing into the abyss.

The group hit the ground together, groaning in pain as they laid on their backs. They were back in the dance room, back in their world as the portal vanished above them.

"Everyone okay?" Yu groaned, rolling his neck as the others muttered their reply.

"Unpleasant landing aside, yes," Naoto declared.

"I'm fine… This is so not how you treat an idol," Rise huffed, before Kanji let out a low groan. Rise looked down, before gasping as she realized she had landed on her boyfriend, digging her rear into his back. "Kanji! Are you okay?! I'm so sorry!"

"I'm… I'm okay," he sighed, reaching under his stomach to pull out a crumpled up water bottle he had landed on. He tossed it aside and sighed again. "So, that just happened, right?"

"Which part? The kidnapping, the portal, the Shadows, the Eerie Voice, or the dancing?" Yu joked. Kanji just sighed for a third time as the silverette chuckled.

"Wait! We have to go back! Tomoe and the others needs our help!" Rise gasped. She looked around the room, desperate for a way back to the Midnight Stage, before Naoto spoke up.

"Rise-san, please, calm down," Naoto placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "First, are you sure you saw them in that world?"

"I'm positive! Four readings, one for each of the kidnapped idols! I only found Tomoe, but I know the others are in there, I just know it."

"That's enough for me." Naoto gave her friend a smile. "A good detective trusts her gut when it's sure of something. I imagine it's the same for idols." She looked at the others, and her friends stood up straight as they all thought the same. "Kidnapped idols, another world, and now the involvement of Shadows and that strange voice… This demands an investigation from only the very best."

"Looks like the Investigation Team has another case on our hands," Yu grinned. "The others will be here in the morning. We should start heading back to the hotel to get some rest before they get here."

"B-but what about the others?" Rise asked. "They're my friends, what if they're hurt?!"

"We don't have a choice, Rise," Naoto reminded. "The only way to that world is through LMB website at midnight, which has passed." She held her phone up, showing Rise the time. It was pass one, meaning they lost their chance. "But next time, we'll be ready, and at full strength."

"Yeah, cept we can't fight that thing," Kanji sighed. "We're supposed to beat that thing by just dancing." He didn't say it aloud, but he finished his sentence in his mind, bitterly thinking, _Which pretty much makes me useless._

"We'll manage." Yu placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, squeezing it as the silverette grinned. "When we work together, nothing can stop us. We can take care of this thing."

"Yeah!" Rise beamed, nodding her head. Her good mood fell for a moment, and she glanced at the ground. "What do we tell Kanami, though? I know her, I bet she's really worried about the others…"

"Unfortunately, explaining the details of this case would be… difficult to say the least. Not to mention she might want to help us save them, and without a Persona, she would prove to be a liability," Naoto thought aloud.

"Meaning we'll have to avoid telling her… Alright, no problem. We can do that." Rise put on a smile and Naoto returned the gesture, before continuing.

"That does bring something to mind, though. I will message Mitsuru-san about what we've discovered as soon as possible." Naoto lifted up her head, looking at her three friends. "There's something else, though. Before we split up, I wish to recount what happened to me when those ribbons captured me."

Yu walked closer to his girlfriend, standing by her side with a sympathetic and compassionate smile. His hand found Naoto's and the two held each other as the detective continued to explain. She didn't even seem to notice her hand was naturally drawn to her boyfriend's.

"When I was captured, I felt as though my sense of self was being eroded. It was as if I was only what others made of me. That all that mattered was I be exactly what others wanted me to be, without any care of my own wants and desires." Naoto's fingers dug into Yu's hand, but he didn't pull away. The sleuth sighed as she combed her fingers through her hair. "The most terrifying thing was… was that I felt like I wanted the same."

"It was as if someone was inside my head, telling me what I wanted, and I believed them, even when I knew it wasn't true. Were it not for Kanji and Yu's song, and ring on my finger, I fear what would have happened to me."

Yu and Naoto's eyes both fell on the ring she wore. The yellow sphere glowed faintly, as if to remind the group of its great power. The silver-haired man kissed his girlfriend's head as he grinned.

"I bet you would have broken free even without it."

"I appreciate your confidence," she smiled, before giving everyone a serious look, trying to stress just how severe the situation was. "But we should still be careful. That experience was… well, it scared me, if I am to be honest. Even against my Shadow, I felt like control of my own mind was torn from me. I knew what I was thinking was wrong, but it was almost impossible separating my genuine thoughts from what was forced onto me." Naoto sighed, shaking her head.

"As surreal as it may be, those ribbons might be our biggest threat, at least until we find this mysterious speaker."

"No problem, Naoto!" Rise beamed. "We'll be careful." Kanji nodded in agreement.

"Agreed," Yu added. "Now then, we should probably get back to our beds. We'll need all the rest we can get, tomorrow."

"Agreed. The case has begun, and just like before, we will be victorious." Naoto and Yu smiled at the group, and their combined confidence helped Rise feel the same.

But Kanji wasn't so sure. He stood a few feet from the three, wondering what the point of him being here was if strength meant nothing...

* * *

After the Midnight Stage ordeal, Naoto and Yu returned to their hotel room. The young man went to take a shower as his girlfriend contacted Mitsuru. She sat on the bed, speaking to the older woman.

"So you were transported to another world because of this video?"

Naoto nodded her head. "Yes. It was almost like a more aggressive version of the Midnight Channel. Instead of a human being kidnapping us and bringing us there, we were abducted by the mysterious entity and dropped into the world."

"Hmm… Due to how similar the cases are, do you think this has something to do with Izanami? Perhaps this is her doing again."

"I doubt it. Izanami was focused on humanity's desires through the use of three chosen avatars. The entity that kidnapped us seemed to care more about forcing a sense of unity onto us. The voice, the personality, it doesn't click to me as if they were the same."

"Perhaps the creature that kidnapped you was a spawn of hers? Like Ameno-sagiri?"

"Perhaps…"

Naoto could hear the shower turn off, and she saw out of the corner of her eye that the door was opening. Her boyfriend stepped out, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, droplets of water clinging to his naked chest. Her cheeks became flushed as he walked towards her.

"Hey." Yu greeted his girlfriend, kissing her cheek. "Everything okay?" he asked, before glancing at the screen. Mitsuru Kirijo stared at him, eyes wide and fair cheeks a faint shade of red. "Oh, hey Mitsuru. Naoto fill you in yet?"

"N-Narukami," Naoto muttered, her voice a mix of annoyed and amused.

"Hm?"

"Your clothes?" Yu glanced down, staring at his body. His sculpted, smooth chest was on full display, like a piece of art. Water glistened on his muscular, sleek frame and his shiny, silver hair. The only thing hiding his more intimate area was a small, white towel, wrapped loosely around his body.

Yu Narukami was, of course, a handsome and gorgeous young man. His dashing features and slender physique had won the attention of many men and women in his life. He was the perfect blend of muscle and sleek, smoothness. A man who could be as handsome and dashing as one could be, while still called beautiful. Even against the stoic, calm nature of Mitsuru Kirijo, he won himself a blush and a sideways glance.

Actually, when he looked at the small screen in the corner of the video, the one that showed him and Naoto, he realized just how bad things looked. From the angle he was at, the camera made it almost look like he was completely naked. He chuckled at the idea, as Naoto and Mitsuru blushed.

"Oh. Sorry, Mitsuru-san. I'll just go change in the bathroom." He kissed his girlfriend's cheek again, before walking away, an amused smile on his face.

When he was gone, Mitsuru looked at Naoto with an amused smile. "I see your fiance hasn't changed much."

"No, he has not," Naoto sighed, a small smile tugging on her lips. She chuckled, shaking her head. "He is still the same as he ever was." She brushed the happy thoughts aside for a moment, and looked at her friend. "Anyways, about the case. Will you be sending us any reinforcements?"

"Unfortunately, most of the Shadows Operatives are preoccupied with other cases," Mitsuru replied. "Or prior engagements. I'm not able to send anyone at the moment."

"Unfortunate, but I understand," Naoto replied with a quiet sigh.

"Besides, with your unique team arrangement, I believe your team might be better suited to deal with this than any of the Shadow Operatives, myself included. This enemy makes traditional combat a null factor. Strength, and weaponry serve no point. Your team's recent training in dance, and Rise's own connection to the idols, might prove invaluable."

Naoto nodded her head. Mitsuru was right, and the detective reminded herself that they were equipped to handle this.. "We'll do our best to keep you up to date."

"Thank you, Detective Shirogane. If there's anything you need, or anything we can do to help, please notify us." Naoto nodded her head, before the two bid their farewells and ended the call.

Yu walked over, smiling at his girlfriend as he pulled his head through the top of a shirt. "Good chat?"

"Good enough. She's given us the go ahead to investigate and attempt a rescue."

"As if we needed permission," he joked. "Wanna get ready for bed?" Naoto nodded her head, standing up and walking over to the bathroom. As Yu got comfortable, his girlfriend changed and walked out of the bathroom wearing a large Feathermen shirt over her body, a birthday gift from her boyfriend.

Yu took one look at his girlfriend, and he saw something was off. "You okay?" he asked, watching her lay in the bed beside him.

"Just thinking about what I saw when I was held captive. I've never felt something reach into my mind like that, changing my own thoughts." Yu nodded his head in understanding, before he wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her into a hug, gently stroking her head as she closed her eyes.

"I love you."

"And I you… It was terrifying. It was as if I was young again, and I saw my body as wrong. When I allowed society's view of me control me." Naoto took a deep breath. "I feel stronger knowing I have all of you with me. My friends. My strength. You and the others are what gave me the strength to break free, to even attempt to resist."

Her boyfriend listened intently, before he held her tight and smiled. "Something I learned from my time in Inaba is that the bonds we have with others is a powerful thing." Yu kissed his girlfriend's head. "But that strength only grows when we remember how strong we are here." He placed a hand on his chest and smiled.

"I will always be here for you. Our friends will always be here for you, but never forget how strong you are, Naoto. Don't belittle yourself by thinking you're only strong because of us."

Naoto was blushing at his words, and she was left smiling and she cuddled against him. "I love you…"

"Love you too, my Navy Sweet." And the two held one another, sharing butterfly kisses as they fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

Kanji couldn't sleep. He glared at the ceiling, burning a hole in the roof. He just couldn't sleep.

He thought about the last few hours. How worthless he had been. He thought about how Rise had to lie to everyone about him.

'_Oh, he's just a friend.'_

'_Just my tailor.'_

'_Just a boy.'_

Kanji sat up. He threw the sheets over him and he got off of the bed, standing up.

He felt useless. Just like he had been… He still remembered the fear in Rise's eyes as she was dragged into the ground. He failed her. Only reason she was saved was because of Yu. Only reason Kanji was even alive was because of his friend.

Because Kanji wasn't strong enough.

Kanji's fists shot through the air, striking like bullets. He punched the air, scowling as he tried to move faster. He wasn't sure what the point was. Strength didn't matter in this fight. All his muscles, all his power, and he was just going to make a fool of himself again.

The young man worked into the night. Doing push ups, sit ups, and punching the air, until he was sweating. He trained because he wanted to protect Rise, his girlfriend. Because he wanted to do save lives, like Yu. Because he didn't wanted to be useless anymore.

Kanji didn't get much sleep that night.

* * *

Rise combed her fingers through her hair. She was tired, hungry for sleep, but she pushed her thoughts aside. She wished Kanji was here. She was lonely, and desperate for someone to talk to, or better yet, cuddle with. The young man was an incredible cuddler, soft and warm, like a big teddy bear.

She wished she could hold him right now. She wished she could convince herself to text him, but it was late. He was probably sound asleep by now…

The young woman sat on her bed, typing away at a laptop. She grabbed at a nearby can, which was still filled halfway with an energy drink she had sponsored once. She downed the drink, emptying it, before dropping it by the bed.

Rise needed the energy. She couldn't sleep regardless, her mind to… wild. She felt like she was filled to the brim with responsibility, with the drive to work, she just wasn't sure how to apply. She had the energy and means, but with everything piling up in her life, she just wasn't sure if she could do it all…

She fought not just one uphill battle, but several. She fought to fix things with Kanji, knowing her life as an idol was taking its toll on their relationship, she fought to reclaim the fame she had before as an idol, and now she felt the weight of her friends' lives on her shoulders.

Rise watched a video on her laptop as she downloaded songs into her phone. She watched a group of professional dancers moved to the beat, controlling it and moving as one as they danced.

"Alright… I can do that."

The others were counting on her. They expected her to shine. If this evil voice made it so only music and dance were their only weapons, that meant she had to carry her own weight.

Rise stood up, off of the bed, and she began to imitate the dancers, dancing with grace, like a ballerina. She lifted up her leg, telling herself to be light as a feather.

As her body moved and exercised, her mind wandered to the past. How many times did the others charge into battle while she stood behind them, watching them throw their lives into the maws of so many monsters and beasts…

She saw them face Shadow after Shadow, watching them nearly die as she shouted out what little information she could gather for them. A word of support. A cheer. Nothing that would change the fate of the fight…

Rise had only really fought beside her friends twice. The first battle, where she and Kanji worked together to defeat a Reaper and help save Yu. The second was against Izanami, where she was the first to fall against the goddess…

She had always hated her role in the group. Teddie was just as good at finding Shadows, if not better. After all, he was the one to find Adachi. Everyone else was a better fighter than her, so what was the point of her being around? A glorified cheerleader?

This was her chance to really shine. To be useful. She had to take it.

As Rise worked to prove her worth, a figure from beyond the veil of reality watched her and her boyfriend with a thousand eyes. It smiled with a hundred faces faces. It smiled with dozens of mouths, because it found her key to victory.

After all, a chain was only as strong as its weakest link, and this chain had two links ready to break.

**END**

Perspective means a lot. For Yu, Naoto, and most of the team, this adventure is a silly, fun adventure. Yeah, the stakes are dire, but they're a team. They got this. Yu and Naoto will especially be pretty calm about the situation.

It's not that they're taking it too lightly, they know people's lives depend on them. It's just that they're confident that things will be okay. They have each other, they're at their best, things are good.

In Just a Delinquent, things were always at their worst when the team was fractured. Naoto's near death during the Heaven stage, the battle against Adachi, when Yu thought his friends were dead. If the group's bonds are strong, they're going to be okay. That's why Rise and Kanji are in danger.

Mad at themselves, mad at their lives… The two are not in a good place, and that means that the adventure will not be as fun for them. The scars of the past, as well as current stress and problems, will hurt them.

I'm excited to have them be the stars of this adventure.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter! I love writing these characters. They're fun. This will be the last update for a while. I got another project I'm working on that I'm super excited to do for the Persona fanbase, and it'll be taking up my time for the next while.

Until next time, folks! Stay safe, be good, and know that you are loved. Bye!

I don't own 'That What Makes You Beautiful,' by One Direction, obviously. Why would you even think that? By the way, 'Da Capo,' is Italian. It means, 'from the beginning.' More you know. Oh, and full disclosure? I totally stole the Featherman shirt idea from Zanmat0. Hope they don't hate me….

It's not stealing! It's a homage!


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